[Patrick Barron]

Clarification(?) on the bizarre Bush incident. So this happened to Devin Bush on the SMU reverse:

Actual refs on Reddit suggest that the ref is forcing Bush off the field because of an equipment issue, which is 1) unannounced, 2) does not stop SMU from snapping the ball, and 3) goes unpenalized when Bush understandably reacts to the ball being snapped. Some explanation: 

>If this was the case why did he allow Bush to continue to stay on the field

This is a valid question. The player should not have been allowed to participate in the next down. Unfortunately some guys have been letting players fix the issue and stay in rather than enforcing the rule as written.

>not throw a penalty flag?

This is not a foul, so we don’t throw a flag for it. He just has to leave.

>It also still seems improper to be telling a player to get off the field as the ball is being snapped.

Officials said the same thing before the season, but we’re told this isn’t what the rule makers wanted.

Also, the theorized equipment issue—uncovered knees—doesn't seem to be actually there. Immediately after the play:

The umpire then comes over, says something to him. Bush continues playing, apparently not adjusting anything. I can't say I've seen anything like that before.

[After THE JUMP: spidermens]

*SPIDERMAN POINTING.* Down in Tallahassee there's a familiar refrain:

Right tackle has been rocked by injury and a lack of, well, tackles

At right tackle, it was supposed to be Landon Dickerson. Dickerson is a guard, but at least he has the ability to play tackle when healthy. But, he got hurt in the Virginia Tech game.

Dickerson’s backup is Derrick Kelly, another guard. Unfortunately, Kelly doesn’t seem to have the quickness he once had after suffering a knee injury. He was slated to start at guard, and he was playing tackle only out of desperation.

Alright O'line. See why Francois is mad? It's making us mad too. I would love to come to practice next week and pull a Sandra Bullock fom Blind Side. pic.twitter.com/d6O20YJzR6

— Danielle (@dkelley21) September 16, 2018

Furthermore, Kelly went down in a heap at the end of the Syracuse game and was unable to put any pressure on his left leg. His status going forward is unknown.

In came Brady Scott, who is also more of a guard. If you’re scoring at home, that’s the third guard type Florida State has had to start at tackle this year.

Michigan hasn't had the injuries yet—nor have they had pass protection quite as disastrous as FSU's—but they too are starting two guards at tackle. This is not a recommended occurrence. Even more *SPIDERMAN POINTING* is that Greg Frey has been imported to fix this and took a 270-pound guy who needs to bulk up (Jalen Goss, if you remember him) in Taggart's transition class. Might be a minute for FSU to fix this, but unlike Michigan they can pull the JUCO lever.

Man has a point. Patrick Vint says it's time to contract:

The Scarlet Nights are now 7-28 in Big Ten games, after getting obliterated by Ohio State in the season's second week.  Their previous coach was fired for trying to coerce better grades for his players from university professors, and the prior athletic director was fired for that and a couple of other scandals.  Rutgers hasn't really been competitive in any sport since joining the conference.

Maryland lost by 21 points to Temple, a team that had previously been defeated by Villanova and Buffalo.  The Terps are 10-24 in Big Ten games, and peaked with one seven-win season in their first campaign.  Maryland fired one coach in 2015 and might well fire another, mostly because the second coach was supposed to be in charge when a player died this summer.  But, hey, they have beaten Texas twice!

He also wants Nebraska gone, but they can stay. They've clearly pissed off a lot of Big Ten West division-mates, and that's what you want for a new conference member: rilin' 'em up. For football reasons, not extremely sad off-field reasons.

Old-time Nebraska. Greg Dooley republishes a Nebraska-relevant portion of his article from the 2011 HTTV:

The Nebraska governor delivered an “exhibition kick-off” before the game, I assume a form of the old baseball honorary first pitch—something that I’d love to see return. (Imagine a mildly pickled Mike Wallace lining up and giving the pigskin a boot).

Michigan’s captain Conklin “saved the day” for the Wolverines, scoring U-M’s only touchdown by converting a blocked punt in the third quarter. After an exchange of punts, Nebraska tied the score and the game ended in a 6-6 deadlock.

The Daily added its maize-and-blue spin on the event reporting, “Outweighed, outlucked, and often outplayed, the Wolverines gave an exhibition of gameness and hard fighting that has never been seen in the west and won even the plaudits of the most loyal Cornhusker.”

In a generous extension of courtesy, the Nebraska folks invited the entire Michigan contingent: we’re talking faculty, alumni and students, to their Cornhuskers banquet.

“We were treated royally,” reported one attendee.

Early PFF returns. Their first mock draft is up and it includes two Michigan players. Devin Bush is in a fairly expected spot at #14; Rashan Gary has dropped a bit:

21. RASHAN GARY, MICHIGAN – EDGE DEFENDER

Coming into the season, Gary was more athletic projection than productive edge rusher, and there are still some questions as he has a 63.1 pass-rush grade on 78 rushes, but he’s been strong against the run at 84.7. Gary needs to produce off the edge as a rusher in order to maintain his spot in the top 32.

That's more of a Wormley track than a devastating all-purpose end, and that's fair. His rush has not been the every-down terror we were hoping preseason.

Oh. The NCAA is in court again, so here comes the absurd statements from exec-level people. This one is from Wisconsin's chancellor:

"It's not clear that we would continue to run an athletic program," Blank said in her testimony, according to Law360.com. "We're not interested in professional sports. We're interested in student-athletes."

This was hurriedly walked back in a statement once the media asked for further elaboration. I hope the cross-examinations of these people are as epic as they should be. More details on this particular lawsuit at SBN.

Josh Norris got traded. He's part of the return for Erik Karlsson. Norris has already announced he's still coming back to school so the main point of interest for Michigan is that the trade has occasioned some Norris scouting:

“I do like him,” said the amateur scout. “He’s definitely a solid third line (NHL) center. I think he can project as a No. 2. He’s very, very smart. Not flashy. He’s a solid all-around player. Good on faceoffs, great hockey IQ. Good skater. Strong. Great physical shape. I don’t see No. 1 upside.”

Another scout thought No. 3 center was the high end on Norris: “You get a guy who is going to play (in the NHL) but maybe he’s not the same guy San Jose thought they were going to get when they took him.”

Norris isn't a scoring dynamo yet and will have to try to climb the Hagelin ladder to keep Michigan's production up this year.

Etc.: Fun story on the rise of NBA 2K, the most OCD of video games. Hassan Haskins might play on defense. Urban Meyer's a swell guy. People talk about 1997 Michigan-Nebraska. Kyle Connor profiled.